Sure, its fairly like many sitcoms since Friends, which changed the writing/pacing of sitcoms toward the end of the last century. Sure, they get nerd/science stuff wrong from time-to-time, but so did our beloved ST and SW.

This whole nerdrage about the guys being "minstrels" is stupid. We don't have spies on here railing against Bond? Hollywood ROUTINELY gets my business wrong, often to the detriment of my day.

But, just as an accurate depiction of my business would not be as romantic, "real" nerds would not be as entertaining, and real espionage is not covered up in TnA and gadgets.

Or, to quote my late father, answering young FPB's queries about obvious plot holes, etc in Hollywood, "That's how it is in the script."

ITS A FARKING TV SHOW AND A PRETTY OK ONE AT THAT SO JUST ENJOY IT AND STF UP!

SlagginOff:Satan's Bunny Slippers: SlagginOff: Is marrying two of the main characters finally going to make the show funny? Because I've been waiting for that.

You may want to change the batteries in your remote so that you can take advantage of watching other channels.

Seems to be on several channels in syndication after shows that I actually like and sometimes fall asleep to, so I can't help but wake up to a laughtrack (or seemingly retarded audience) after a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad joke. Changing my batteries won't change the fact that I have a tendency to fall asleep on the couch.

MightyPez:Representative of the unwashed masses: OtherLittleGuy: Got the band for the reception:

[a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com image 500x314]

Nerds whining of steretyping in the age of the internet.

HELP WE'RE BEING OPPRESSED!

/Shut up and take your shots like everyone else pansy!

For some perspective, look what homosexuals have had to endure in mass media. To this day most male homosexual characters are basically mincing nancies that give fashion tips and have the irresistible compulsion to dance whenever here is a beat.

I remember someone on fark calling The Big Bang Theory and The IT Crowd "blackface for geeks." Apparently being a geek means you lack a sense of perspective.

While it lacks the backlash that blackface caused the comparison isn't entirely invalid. It is indeed the same kind of broad brush caricature of a group.

I love Big Bang Theory, but I'm not sure this is a good idea. Half the fun of their relationship is the awkwardness they have as a couple...and the tension that they're not altogether together (at least in Penny's mind). Howard's marriage to Bernadette kinda killed how weird he is around women (though Melissa Rauch does a good job being like Howard's Mom)

irving47:Just out of curiosity... Despite that he "has a girlfriend" does anyone argue AT ALL that Sheldon's character has advanced/developed/matured one bit since the first season?

Yes, though not as much as the other main characters. He's more tolerant of other people and their actions, has more than just Leonard as his friend, and actually shows pride in the accomplishments of his friends. Add that to the things he's slowly working through with Amy, and it shows more change than most people with his social deficiencies typically can handle in five years.

Between the surfing the webs and watching TV, do you people get any exercise or get laid? Jesus X Christ you fat losers! ALL sitcoms are stupid, mind-numbing time wasters, but they sure make you laugh! Hyuck! Goorsh, didja see last night's episode? I wonder if X will marry Y? They mentioned *obscure stupid trivia* I loved it!!!11 I will tune in next week, fersure! Then watch the news talk about it, talk to my friends about it, and post to the internet about it. Didja see Breaking Bad? Weeds??? Walking Dead??

You know how My Little Pony has Bronies? I think Big Bang Theory watchers should be called Lonelies.

Digitalstrange:MightyPez: Representative of the unwashed masses: OtherLittleGuy: Got the band for the reception:

[a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com image 500x314]

Nerds whining of steretyping in the age of the internet.

HELP WE'RE BEING OPPRESSED!

/Shut up and take your shots like everyone else pansy!

For some perspective, look what homosexuals have had to endure in mass media. To this day most male homosexual characters are basically mincing nancies that give fashion tips and have the irresistible compulsion to dance whenever here is a beat.

I remember someone on fark calling The Big Bang Theory and The IT Crowd "blackface for geeks." Apparently being a geek means you lack a sense of perspective.

While it lacks the backlash that blackface caused the comparison isn't entirely invalid. It is indeed the same kind of broad brush caricature of a group.

oh yeah it's offensive all right. nerdy-awkward-guy gets to nail a chick with the body of a freaking model. Yup that there is some blackface.

This could certainly screw things up, but I'm willing to give the writers the benefit of the doubt. Howard the sleaze marrying a successful, well-rounded (ahem) cutie-pie was a potential shark jump, but it the show has survived that rather well. The writers even figured out how to have Amy manage not only to kiss both Sheldon and Penny, but to get some pretty heavy petting and spankings from Sheldon, while not eroding Sheldon's asexual antisocial Aspurgers at all in the process.

SlagginOff:Satan's Bunny Slippers: SlagginOff: Is marrying two of the main characters finally going to make the show funny? Because I've been waiting for that.

You may want to change the batteries in your remote so that you can take advantage of watching other channels.

Seems to be on several channels in syndication after shows that I actually like and sometimes fall asleep to, so I can't help but wake up to a laughtrack (or seemingly retarded audience) after a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad joke. Changing my batteries won't change the fact that I have a tendency to fall asleep on the couch.

I don't like waking up to Cougartown or such crap when I fall asleep on the couch either, but it's not really a problem. I change the channel.

Thus, I recommend you keep your remote closer so that you can reach it without disturbing your position on the couch.

GRCooper:SlagginOff: Satan's Bunny Slippers: SlagginOff: Is marrying two of the main characters finally going to make the show funny? Because I've been waiting for that.

You may want to change the batteries in your remote so that you can take advantage of watching other channels.

Seems to be on several channels in syndication after shows that I actually like and sometimes fall asleep to, so I can't help but wake up to a laughtrack (or seemingly retarded audience) after a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad joke. Changing my batteries won't change the fact that I have a tendency to fall asleep on the couch.

I like that on tuesday nights (using several channels) I get BBT just before the 5pm local news, then right after local news, then at 7pm I get 4 back to back to take me to bedtime. Any other night I just get the before and after news.

And yes, I watch all of them. Worst part is if I do fall asleep, I wake up to Cougartown (my IQ dropped just typing that) sometime after 9, if I can stay awake I can watch BBT again at 9:30.

GRCooper:SlagginOff: Satan's Bunny Slippers: SlagginOff: Is marrying two of the main characters finally going to make the show funny? Because I've been waiting for that.

You may want to change the batteries in your remote so that you can take advantage of watching other channels.

Seems to be on several channels in syndication after shows that I actually like and sometimes fall asleep to, so I can't help but wake up to a laughtrack (or seemingly retarded audience) after a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad joke. Changing my batteries won't change the fact that I have a tendency to fall asleep on the couch.

I think it's usually Seinfeld that's being followed here. Not too sure, all I know is I've tried watching the show and I found it terrible. Apparently having this opinion makes me a likely candidate for euthanasia.

Some 'Splainin' To Do:SithLord: i wouldn't call it jumping the shark. That's the inevitable outcome of the pair. Or she finds out she's pregnant out of wedlock and it ain't Leonard's. But isn't that what this show is about? Enamored nerdy physicist falls for the hot blonde next door?

I'd call it a narrative challenge that could easily lead to a shark jump, but one that you can't avoid indefinitely.

See also: Daphne and Niles.

Daphne and Niles worked because they were tertiary characters, and the show was never solely about will they/won't they? That's why they could finally get together, because it didn't disrupt the overall dynamic of the show, it only added to it. After all, 11 seasons is way too long to go without some character progression. Frasier remained single the entire run, rarely having a girlfriend, so Niles could divorce Marris (and Mel) to wind up with Daphne.

Same thing with BBT Once the show got away from just being about Leonard and Penny, but focused on all four guys and the three girls, it got a lot more interesting. This allows real relationship growth and you don't lost the dynamic of the show just because you pair up two of the leads. When you do it right, you can still get a lot of comedy out of it. I've loved watching both of them adjust to being in a relationship with each other, and having them together doesn't lesson any of their conflicts or comedy potential.

Honestly, it makes sense for them to get married, if that's the plan. If done right, the progression to marriage and their life as a married couple will be just as funny. Howard's schlep down the aisle was pretty awesome, so the show knows how to portray a relationship in a way that's funny, not grating. (Unless you hate Howard and/or Bernadette.)

Other shows have shown it's possible to have a great show even after pairing up the leads, and they include Castle, Cougar Town, and Bones. BBT will hopefully be able to pull it off.

I really like the show. Is not awesome is not terrific, but is a nice way to kill 25 minutes or while you do other things

Is not an ACCURATE portrait of nerds, geeks and likes, but is a sitcom, not a journalistic documentary.

If you don't like it, it's OK... is not for you, you don't find it funny, whatever...

But call it "nerd blackface" or "geek minstrel show" is blow things WAAAY over proportion about a sitcom and trivialize the (in my opinion) more legitimate complains about media portraits of other groups.

/If they do go with a marriage story are, hope they can pull it off.//Can be done when the main focus of a story is NOT the romance.///Webcomic "artist and writer" so what do I know?

gunga galunga:FarkingReading: GRCooper: Egoy3k: I've said it before on fark but snark all you want about BBT it's still more watchable than most other network shows. I've caught snippits of the other shows that are on TV when my wife watches them and I gotta say that they all seem pretty terrible.

My favorite are the 'nerd cred' haters

"I play MMOs, so I'm a "real" nerd, and BBT is stupid"

Yeah, great. I design MMOs, and have made my living in MMOs for 15 years. I like BBT.

/so do lots of folks in the biz//our nerd cred beats yours///humblebragging fail

I eat BLTs and shoot RPGs at MIGs. I went to MIT and LOLd ASAP every day. You can ask the CDC. How's that 3PO?

"Excuse me, sir. Seeing as how the V.P. is such a V.I.P., shouldn't we keep the P.C. on the Q.T.? 'Cause if it leaks to the V.C. he could end up M.I.A., and then we'd all be put out in K.P. "/obscure?

soporific:Same thing with BBT Once the show got away from just being about Leonard and Penny, but focused on all four guys and the three girls, it got a lot more interesting. This allows real relationship growth and you don't lost the dynamic of the show just because you pair up two of the leads. When you do it right, you can still get a lot of comedy out of it. I've loved watching both of them adjust to being in a relationship with each other, and having them together doesn't lesson any of their conflicts or comedy potential.

Honestly, it makes sense for them to get married, if that's the plan. If done right, the progression to marriage and their life as a married couple will be just as funny. Howard's schlep down the aisle was pretty awesome, so the show knows how to portray a relationship in a way that's funny, not grating. (Unless you hate Howard and/or Bernadette.)

I just hope they don't start having them make babies. I know a lot of geek friends who don't do any of the social things that they used to now that they have a little bundle of joy.

soporific:Some 'Splainin' To Do: SithLord: i wouldn't call it jumping the shark. That's the inevitable outcome of the pair. Or she finds out she's pregnant out of wedlock and it ain't Leonard's. But isn't that what this show is about? Enamored nerdy physicist falls for the hot blonde next door?

I'd call it a narrative challenge that could easily lead to a shark jump, but one that you can't avoid indefinitely.

See also: Daphne and Niles.

Daphne and Niles worked because they were tertiary characters, and the show was never solely about will they/won't they? That's why they could finally get together, because it didn't disrupt the overall dynamic of the show, it only added to it. After all, 11 seasons is way too long to go without some character progression. Frasier remained single the entire run, rarely having a girlfriend, so Niles could divorce Marris (and Mel) to wind up with Daphne.

Actually my point was that having D&N get together was a problem that couldn't be avoided and that it, ultimately, hurt the show. I guess if you think that the quality of the show didn't suffer, then you'll disagree with my overall point.

IMO, however, trying to permanently postpone these things doesn't work out. Cheers managed to avoid pairing up Sam but, when all was said and done, I think that the audience was disappointed that there was no closure.

Digitalstrange:I remember someone on fark calling The Big Bang Theory and The IT Crowd "blackface for geeks." Apparently being a geek means you lack a sense of perspective.

While it lacks the backlash that blackface caused the comparison isn't entirely invalid. It is indeed the same kind of broad brush caricature of a group.

Which is, otherwise, known as a sitcom.

Sitcoms indulge in stereotypes. If there a surfer on a show? Then he's a stereotypical southern California surfer, circa 1985. Is there a gay guy on a show? Then he's either super gay or super not-at-all gay unless he says so. Is there a black character? Probably sassy. Is there an authority figure? Almost certainly an uptight jerkwad. And so forth and so on.

Look, if you just hate sitcoms, that's fine. I can understand and respect that and, on some basic level, I can even agree with you because sitcoms are low to middle-brow and aren't going to be everyone's pleasure. But if your problem is that this particular sitcom is stereotyping a particular group that you happen to be part of then I would respectfully suggest growing a thicker skin.

I would also point out that in spite of all the stereotypes and the low-hanging "nerds can't get dates" jokes, ultimately the audience is supposed to sympathize with and like the characters. The last episode had the gang out in their Trek uniforms getting garbage thrown at them and being scorned to yokels, and much of the scorn they got was of the typical sort... but the way it was depicted was that the people tormenting them were being assholes and that the cast were being unfairly victimized for being a little different and having fun in ways that weren't mainstream. That's a decent message, IMO.

Yes, it would be nice if there were some kind of documentary or something that exposed people to the actualreality of being a nerd, but I just don't think that the BBT is hurting us. If the only thing that people take away from the show is that nerds are weird but also kind of fun and that we have feelings then, frankly, I'm perfectly fine with that.

I seriously question Captain Sweatpants' credentials. What branch of the military? Naval Captain? Army Captain? Marine Corps? Is he in the same Navy that won't promote Captain Crunch to Admiral? So many unanswered questions...

I don't watch much network TV..actually, not that much TV at all. But Big Bang Theory is one show I don't miss (the other being The Walking Dead). Why BBT? I find it funny because I KNOW people like those characters...maybe not as smart, but nerds that are into comic books, toys, RPG board games, as well as being socially awkward with women. They're good people, just different... like the characters on the show.

Taste is subjective. If you don't like it...fine, don't watch. But looking down at those that do like it doesn't make you superior, it makes you a douchebag.

kg2095:That show is so corny and unrealistic. Not one of the characters even slightly resembles a scientist or the stereotype of a nerd. In fact they are to nerds what the Fonz was to hoodlums.

Actually I just met a PhD in Particle Physics that my company hired for data analytics. He said he doesn't watch the show because it reminds him too much of the people he worked with at MIT while he was working on his PhD. There are a plenty of people like the characters on the show that are out there..maybe not in your circle...but definitely in mine.